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lu-is-not-ok · 10 months

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thoughts on the fourth match flame egos?

Oh baby, a triple. And a LobCorp abno as well! Let's see if I can make this one the longest out of all of them.

Also I got like three asks about this E.G.O so I probably should get to it huh.

Yeets you under the cut.

Alright, let's start by talking about Scorched Girl. This is an Abnormality all the way back from Lobotomy Corporation, and one which reappeared in Library of Ruina. As such, there's some material we gotta sift through. And by we I mean me. I'm the one doing the work here.

As is fitting for an Abnormality based on the fairytale of The Little Match Girl, the main themes of this abno are innocence, abandonment, hope for a better life, and the eventual snuffing out of that hope by life's cruelty.

However, this is where LobCorp twists the tale into something else, as while all of those themes apply to Scorched Girl, there is a major addition that recontextulizes all of the above. The bitter despair that follows when one is crushed, and the want to burn everyone's else's hopes and happiness in a fit of directionless revenge against the world.

While probably not as direct when applied to the Sinners, this theme of lashing out in the face of losing hope seems important enough to keep in mind.

Now, while I don't usually look too deeply into the visual designs of the E.G.Os, as the differences are oftentimes subtle... I feel like I need to do it here, because Fourth Match Flame has this little quirk of being Project Moon's special little Advertisement E.G.O where they gave each Sinner using it a unique design.

Also, not joking when I call this the advertisement E.G.O, almost all (if not actually all) pre-release material that showed previews of E.G.Os was of the Fourth Match Flame E.G.Os.

Let's go in the order that the E.G.Os were unlocked on the Battle Pass, shall we?

When Rodya uses Fourth Match Flame, her outfit turns into what I can best describe as a ballroom dress wreathed in flames, complete with matching tall gloves made of ash. It gives off this idea of opulence, of fancy balls that only the rich are invited to. Applying Scorched Girl's theme of a hope for a better life here, this could signify that this is the kind of life Rodya deeply wishes for. One where money isn't an issue, where she and her neighbours can live comfortably without worrying when their next meal will be.

Yi Sang's Fourth Match Flame puts him in a labcoat, specifically the kind of getup you'd see Ayin in, and if you're past Canto IV, Sang Yi as well. Funny Yi Sang Ayin comparison memes aside, I think Canto IV really helps apply this to the theme of hope for a better life. Because that is the kind of life Yi Sang wishes for. One where he can simply research for no other purpose than the joy it brings him. The fact that his outfit here specifically mimics Sang Yi's, aka the version of himself that Yi Sang views as perfect, further adds to that idea.

Finally, we have Ryoshu, the one we know the least about out of the three, and the one I can tell the least about from her Fourth Match Flame outfit. The best way I can describe it is... that it feels soft. Warm. There's a sort of simplicity to it that gives me nostalgic and innocent vibes, but I can't exactly put it to words why. While we don't have Ryoshu's backstory yet, and thus can't pinpoint what life she's hoping for the way we could for Rodya and Yi Sang, I think those vibes alone paint a certain picture. I think Ryoshu wishes to go back to a time that she associates with warmth and softness.

If we assume that Ryoshu, just like Yoshihide in Hell Screen, had a daughter who had tragically passed... Perhaps that's what her Fourth Match Flame alludes to her wanting to go back to.

Another interesting thing to note about the appearance of the E.G.Os is a notable contrast between the background for Rodya's Fourth Match Flame, compared to that of Yi Sang and Ryoshu. For the latter, the village in the background is already burnt down. It's already smoldering and covered in ash. For Rodya however, it's in the middle of bursting into flames.

Considering how for Scorched Girl the flame on her match signifies her hope, with it running out meaning she no longer has any, I think this detail is important. For Yi Sang and Ryoshu, the source of their hope is already gone. We know Yi Sang's League is already gone, and we can assume that is also the case for Ryoshu's daughter. Rodya, however? She still has hope to fight for. Though many of her neighbors have died, there are likely those who still survived. Those who still need her help. Those who she can share that better life she wishes for with.

Now, let's look at the Sins, genuinely my favorite part of the analysis I think.

All of the Fourth Match Flame E.G.Os are Wrath damage, Wrath being the Sin associated with actions done out of self-rightousness and defiance. It's the sin of deciding things need to change simply because you want them to. This, of course, applies to Scorched Girl on many levels.

The two most important ways Scorched Girl ties back to the concept of Limbus's idea of Wrath are both in its potrayal of hope. The idea of acting on your hope for a better life, to refuse what you currently have because you wish for something better, and the following lashing out at everyone else when that hope is snuffed out, as you believe that nobody deserves happiness if you can't have it.

As for the Sin requirements... Hoo boy there's a lot. All three of the Fourth Match Flame users require Wrath, with Ryoshu and Rodya both requiring Pride, and the latter also needing a bit of Envy. Yi Sang, on the other hand, requires Sloth and Gluttony instead.

Strap in lads, I got a lot to analyze.

Wrath is, of course, the most important ingredient to all of this. To be able to use Fourth Match Flame in the first place, one needs the self-rightousness and/or defiance to say that their hopes Do Matter, or that everyone else's Do Not.

Rodya is very clearly applying Wrath in the first way, her actions of lashing out against injustice being perfectly summarized by her murdering the pawnbroker. Defying how the Yurodiviye wanted to change the world, and instead taking the matters into her own hands, trying to make her wishes into reality herself.

Ryoshu is a little bit harder to tell, but I think it might be the latter way. While her current obsession with violence in the from of art could have developed for multiple reasons, it's likely that the despair she felt after losing her daughter was at least one of them. Having lost her own hope, she decided to tear down the delusional hopes of everyone else around her, revealing to them just how cruel and ugly the reality truly is through her art.

Yi Sang's case seems quite interesting to me. I think the fact that his Fourth Match Flame E.G.O requires the most Wrath out of all of them is no coincidence. After All, Yi Sang is the most passive out of these three, and he struggled to properly stand up for himself. However, Canto IV shows us that once Yi Sang's truly had enough, he Has Had Enough. In this way, I think this E.G.O represents Yi Sang's boiling point. The moment his quiet seething at his horrible situation finally drowns out his hopelessness and lets him lash out, if only for a brief moment.

Let's move on to Rodya and Ryoshu's Pride requirement. Pride as a Sin represents actions done purely for their benefits, with their negative consequences being ignored. This I think describes how both Rodya and Ryoshu lash out perfectly.

Rodya's act of murdering the pawnbroker and aligning reality with her hopes is done purely because of the perceived immediate benefit of it. To take the pawnbroker's money, to free her neighbourhood of the pawnbroker's reign. However, in doing so Rodya overlooks the consequences of killing off a member of the Middle's family, leading to even more harm being brought to those she wished to help.

Ryoshu's Pride presents slightly differently, but still is just as obvious. Her art has the main purpose of tearing down the delusional hopes of others and exposing the gruesomeness of reality, something that Ryoshu seems to actively strive for. However, in the process of doing so, Ryoshu neglects to care for the harm she inflicts on the way. She doesn't care how many people she has to hurt or kill in the process, the purpose of her art always outweighs the losses to her.

I think the inclusion of Envy as Rodya's Sin requirement for Fourth Match Flame further helps contextualize her actions. Envy represents actions done in reaction to other people and their actions. Rodya's attempt at aligning reality with her wish for a better life isn't motivated purely by herself, but it's also a reaction to the people around her. It's a reaction to the pawnbroker's selfish greed. It's a reaction to Sonya and the Yurodiviye's apathetic inaction. And of course, it's a reaction to the suffering her neighbours have been going through.

Now, time to look at our special boy Yi Sang, who decided to have two Sin requirements that don't match the rest of the Fourth Match Flame users. For a good reason too, as he stands out as the odd one out in this line up.

Yi Sang's Sloth requirement is easy to understand, with just how much it applies to him. Sloth represents inaction and actions done out of apathy. Sloth is also unique in how it interacts with Wrath, as the inclusion of one will recontextualize the other. In this case, it paints Yi Sang's defiance as somewhat hollow. It gives off the feeling that, despite lashing out, Yi Sang still believes that it won't matter in the end. His actions of tearing things down are still dripping with hopelessness.

Then, there's the Gluttony requirement. The thing with Gluttony is that Limbus provides two equally as important interpretations of it - actions fueled by the neverending wish for More, or actions fueled by the need for Survival. Both of those can be considered to be actions fueled by a form of Hunger.

In the case of Yi Sang, I believe the Hunger driving him is that of Survival. In reality, Yi Sang's act of hopeless defiance is a call for help. His Fourth Match Flame E.G.O represents his will to live trying to lash out at the world around him, trying to scream No, I Want Better Than This! in the face of his hopeless situation.

Just like I don't think it's a coincidence that Yi Sang needs the most Wrath out of everyone to use Fourth Match Flame, I also don't think it's a coincidence that the amount of required Sloth equals the amount of required Gluttony. It represents his constant internal struggle between his hopeless apathy and hopeful will to live.

A battle that Canto IV finally gives us the winner of.

#limbus company #limbus company project moon #yi sang #yi sang lcb #rodya #rodion lcb #ryoshu #ryoshu lcb #fourth match flame ego #lcb analysis #lcb canto iv #lcb spoilers #ask #anon #lu speaketh #ya'll really wanted this one

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astralisbelle · 1 year

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Dead Man's Hand 6 - Lap of Luxury

Dead Man's Hand Masterlist tags: tags: engineer!reader, gambler!reader, loose canon timeline, eventual smut, fluff, action, casino aesthetics, touch starved reader, touch starved din, reader and din get on each other’s nerves, also they’re idiots, defrosting ice king din, cinderella vibes, everybody loves grogu

chapter summary: Canto Bight's opulent suite offers its fair share of comfort, amenities... and bath time shenanigans.

note: Thank you all so much for the likes/reblogs! Please keep them coming. If you like this story, let me know. Also remember that my ask box is open for short story requests/headcanons, etc. For your support, take a very silly and long part

“Your suite, sir. We hope the accommodations are to your liking.” The bellhop opens the door to the hotel room and bows his head, allowing them to venture inside. She takes the initiative, pushing past and striding in. Instantly, her eyes widen and she gasps.

The suite is larger than any apartment she had ever seen, so neat and luxurious. The window on the back wall overlooks all of Canto Bight, showing each light, each cruiser, every casino on the strip. She wanders in further, turning to the left to see the walkway to a door. Pressing the button next to it, it slides open and reveals the marble bathroom inside with a tub that could easily fit two, maybe three people. Next to it is a shower and then across is a double sink. With a giddiness in her step, she scurries across the suite and crosses the doorway, past the couch and lounge chairs, and into the main bedroom. The bed stretches wide with perfectly smooth, clean sheets that practically beg her to jump on it.

Behind her, the Mandalorian peeks into the room, touching the windows, looking underneath the bed, and sliding the closets open. Once he determines it’s secure, Grogu’s pram floats in, finding a place to park itself. “Hm.” He walks away from the room, continuing to sweep the rest of the suite.

“Since you are participating in the tournament,” says the bellhop, “food and drinks are complementary. Simply use the console to contact room service.”

“What does that mean?” she asks. “Food is free?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

For someone that grew up starving, that confirmation made her mouth salivate. She is going to order enough to feed a whole cantina. The Mandalorian emerges from the bathroom, reaching into his back pocket. “Thanks,” he says tossing a few credits to the bellhop. “We’ll take it from here.”

The bellhop catches the tip and smiles, bowing before taking his leave. Once he is gone, all of the excitement she was holding in bursts out at once into a happy yell. She tosses herself onto the couch, her feet kicking. “This is so cool!” She sits up. “Hell, I have no idea what I should do first! Order everything on the menu maybe? Take a nap?”

“You’re not ordering everything on the menu.”

“Tch. Kill joy.” She scratches her cheek. Come to think of it, he hasn’t had an opportunity to eat this entire time, has he? He must be starving. “...I have an idea. I think I want to take a nice, long bath. Why don’t you order food for us and you can eat in peace?”

He thinks on it for a few moments. “Fine with me.”

She bolts up, shuffling over to the tub. Inspecting the buttons, she sees that it comes with multiple features. “Hmm…” Pressing one starts the pipes and hot water gushes forth, filling the bottom of the tub. Another button mixes a shimmering soap with it, forming large bubbles. “Ah, perfect!” Just as she turns to shut the door, she looks down to see that Grogu had followed her, trying to peer into the tub. With a smile, she lifts him to the edge so he can see. “Looks fun, huh?”

He coos in response, looking up at her with those eyes that no one can resist.

Rolling her eyes, she peeks out the door. “Hey, uh… Mando? I can call you ‘Mando,’ right?” He responds from the couch.

“What is it?”

“Do you mind if I take Grogu with me?”

The Mandalorian does not response back quickly, but he eventually sighs and relents. “Just keep the door unlocked.”

“Unlock – seriously?”

“...Not remotely what I meant.”

She pouts, sliding back into the bathroom and closing the door, not putting the lock on it like he asked. “He’s so protective of you, isn’t he?” she says to Grogu, placing him on the sink counter. “It’s kind of sweet, actually…” She kicks off her shoes and pulls off her clothes, shedding off each article of clothing one by one. “Annoying.” She shakes out her hair. “But sweet.”

Grogu lifts his arms and allows her to pull his burlap shirt off, then the chain shirt underneath. Upon finding it, she laughs and holds it in her hands. “Aww! It’s so tiny! Is this beskar?” Grogu makes a happy squeak. “That’s adorable. Your dad is just a big softie, isn’t he?” She takes Grogu from the counter and steps into the hot bath, settling in with a long sigh, balancing him on her knees. “Stars, that’s amazing…”

The silky waters of the hot bath melt away the layers of dirt, leaving her skin smooth and unblemished. Bubbles cover the surface, a few of them floating and bouncing throughout the room. Grogu stares at his own reflection in one that flies near his face, popping once he pokes it. She slides her feet against the bottom of the tub, her knees inching further into the water so Grogu could submerge a little.

She looks around the luxurious bathroom, her shoulders sinking into the water as she breaths in the clean, flowery scent. What a weird moment. Here she is, living like a queen, bathing with a small child while someone waits on the other side of the door. It’s strange having someone physically close to her, especially a child. Even Grogu’s splashes make her smile and laugh.

For the first time in her life, she doesn’t feel so alone.

She thinks to herself that it’s time she washed her hair – that is sure to take a while. “Where is the shampoo…” It’s nowhere near the tub. Finally, she spots the bottle sitting atop of the sink, much further than her arm can reach. “Damn. Sorry, kiddo. Just give me a moment…” She trails off.

Grogu closes his eyes and extends a tiny hand toward the sink. What the hell is he doing? She glances between him and sink and then, she sees the bottle of shampoo. It’s floating towards them. Her reaction is completely involuntary, and she makes a loud noise in surprise, disturbing enough water to push some over the edge.

Rapid footsteps approach the door and it slides open. The Mandalorian barges in, blaster at the ready. “What happened?”

“Hey!” She snatches Grogu, using him to shield her chest. At that, his concentration breaks and the shampoo bottle falls to the floor with a loud pop. “D-Don’t look!”

“Ah…” She cannot see the Mandalorian’s expression, but the tone of his stuttering sounds tells her that he’s caught off guard. He clears his throat loudly, turning his head away and putting the blaster away. “Why did you scream?”

“I didn’t scream, I just…” She looks down at Grogu then back at the shampoo bottle. “Did you see that bottle floating in the air?”

He kneels down, picking it up. “No.”

“I swear it was moving. It was like… it was like the kid was–”

“Moving it with his mind? Yeah, he does that.”

“He–,” she frowns. “‘He does that,’ how long exactly has he been ‘doing that?’”

“I don’t know,” he responds, irritated. “Look, can we talk about this when you’re finished?”

“Oh… yeah, that’s fine…” She bites her lip. “Can… I have the shampoo, please?”

He sighs. The Mandalorian grabs the other bottles and sets them next to the tub, all the while his visor looking away. “Hurry up.” He walks out of the bathroom and presses the button to close the door. With him finally out, she sighs in relief.

She’s lucky the bubbles covered everything.

#din djarin x reader #din djarin #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian #the mandalorian x you #the mandalorian fanfic #work: dead man's hand

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gootarts · 5 months

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if you're reading canto v and wondered 'huh, ishmael and queequeg have pretty strong thing going on between them. i wonder if they played up gay subtext present in the original novel', you'd actually be wrong! limbus actually dumbs down the intimacy of their relationship a lot.

and by a lot, i mean a lot. these quotes are direct from moby dick.

Chapter 4, The Counterpane:

Upon waking next morning about daylight, I found Queequeg's arm thrown over me in the most loving and affectionate manner. You had almost thought I had been his wife. [...] At length, by dint of much wriggling, and loud and incessant expostulations upon the unbecomingness of his hugging a fellow male in that matrimonial sort of style,

Chapter 10, A Bosom Friend:

He seemed to take to me quite as naturally and unbiddenly as I to him; and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married; meaning, in his country's phrase, that we were bosom friends; he would gladly die for me, if need should be. [...] How it is I know not; but there is no place like a bed for confidential disclosures between friends. Man and wife, they say, there open the very bottom of their souls to each other; and some old couples often lie and chat over old times till nearly morning. Thus, then, in our hearts' honeymoon, lay I and Queequeg—a cosy, loving pair.

Chapter 11, Nightgown:

Be it said, that though I had felt such a strong repugnance to his [Queequeg's] smoking in the bed the night before, yet see how elastic our stiff prejudices grow when love once comes to bend them.

there's some really interesting analysis of their relationship by richard norton here:

In the opening pages of Melville's greatest novel, Moby Dick (1851), the narrator Ishmael and the cannibal Queequeg go to bed together, and symbolically marry and even give birth. The bed in which they sleep at the Spouter Inn is the landlord's marriage bed; Ishmael plays the role of the terrified coy maiden, waiting in bed while the bridegroom gets undressed: "This accomplished, however, he turned round – when, good heaven, what a sight!" Queequeg springs under the covers with his tomahawk (!) and Ishmael "shrieks." There is some "kicking about" and Queequeg begins "feeling" Ishmael. Next morning Ishmael awakes with "Queequeg's arm thrown over me in the most loving and affectionate manner. You had almost thought I had been his wife." Melville emphasizes the point by referring again to "his bridegroom clasp" and "hugging a fellow male in that matrimonial sort of style." And they even bear offspring, rather more quickly than heterosexuals: "Throwing aside the quilt, there lay the tomahawk sleeping by the savage's side, as if it were a hatchet-faced baby."

sadly, queequeg (and his relationship with ishmael) gets sidelined in the novel once ahab makes his appearance, but he still serves an important symbolic role.

#renaming the kjh misogyny dungeon to the kjh misogyny and homophobia dungeon #limbus company #seriously though a game published in 2023 has significantly less gay stuff than its original novel written 170 years ago. boggles the mind.#if you want some queer lit analysis: hero captain and stranger by robert martin has a chapter devoted to moby dick #anways that's why if i find kjh i'm challenging him to a fistfight. winner gets his company

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fawnarchive · 6 months

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i know nothing about what happens this canto besides this

so. its pretty amazing huh

#fawn.txt #i can't play. until i catch up. and i cant catch up. until my schedule is free. so. im a little trapped right now #but know.................................. know im cheering for you #enjoy it. tell me if outis is cute okay

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justagalwhowrites · 10 months

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Beskar Doll - Ch. 38: Partners

You, the Mandalorian and the child have been lying low. But that plan only works for so long. A continuation of Beskar Doll Ch. 1-37 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: The Mandalorian/Din Djarin x Female Reader

Warnings: Canon-typical violence. No use of Y/N. Minors DNI, 18+ only.

Length: 3.5k

Six Months Later

“I’m changing the deal.”

The man across from you was overly confident. Well dressed, proud, flanked by two men.

“If it’s to pay us more then fine,” you shrugged. “Otherwise, I’m afraid not.”

You were almost hoping he’d challenge you. This part of the job had become exceedingly boring recently.

Din had taken the three of you to Canto Bight. A planet rife with gambling, money and people looking to make sure they didn’t lose any more than they had to was a planet rich in work for bounty hunters.

You’d just laid low for the first few weeks you were there, not eager to draw attention to yourselves and working out a plan.

The problem with a Mandalorian bounty hunter is that it was hard to stay hidden. And Din’s fully beskar armor made him particularly memorable.

“We can’t just have you meeting with people,” you said one afternoon as you sat with your back against the seal of the gate to the Crest. The air was fresh and there was breeze coming in from the water. Grogu was on your lap, twisting a cord from the front of your shirt around his little fingers. “It’s not going to take long for people to find us if you’re out front.”

“Not going to leave you to meet them alone,” he was standing, leaning against the opposite side of the seal. “Not safe.”

“Do you really think I can’t handle myself around some fools who loaned gambling money to the wrong person?” You asked, eyebrows raised .

“No,” he looked out toward the water. “I just know who hires bounty hunters.”

“It’s not like this is Tatooine,” you rolled your eyes.

“And if it’s an Imp who knows you?” He asked, looking back at you. “Then what?”

“Then I kill them and we move on,” you shrugged. The baby cooed. You looked down at him. Concern. “I know, we’re not agreeing right now, it stinks huh?”

“Patu.”

“I agree,” you said, kissing his forehead. “You’re so smart…”

“I know he didn’t just tell you something,” Din grumbled.

“You’re no fun,” you replied.

“Not here to be fun,” he replied. “Cyare…”

“Look,” you cut him off. “Either we hire a third party that who knows if we can trust - it’s not like we can risk calling Karga to see if he knows someone - or we go with me. With some makeup and different clothes, I can look pretty different. No one is going to recognize me unless they’re looking for me and if they’re looking for me here, we’re already in trouble.”

It took several more discussions but, eventually, you wore him down.

You began by reaching out to the people who managed large amounts of money at the casinos. You dressed like someone with money and said you were representing a new business interest in town, someone offering services to make sure debts were paid. You provided information on a regular meeting location - a room off a bar you’d secured for the same time each week for a while - and implied a kickback for contacts sent your way.

The first meeting day, you wore makeup that gave the illusion that your face looked different - sharper cheekbones, slimmer nose, harsher eyes - and a dress that was a sheath that clung to you but allowed you to move freely.

“Don’t like this,” Din muttered.

“It’ll be fine,” you assured him, tucking your knife up your sleeve and adjusting the bodice of the dress so your cleavage was a bit more ample. With any luck, the people meeting with you would remember your breasts and not your face. “And you’ll be just around the corner if it’s not.”

He dropped his forehead to your own and took a deep breath.

“Promise that you will take care of yourself before any job,” he said. “Won’t lose you, Cyare.”

“Promise,” you smiled gently.

The first day of meetings had been slow. You had two clients, both wanting you to run down people who skipped out on gambling debts and looked to still be on planet. The totals were low - just 3,000 credits between the two bounties and you’d need to give the casino and bar a cut - but it was a start.

Over time, the business grew. Eventually, you got a reputation and people began to seek you out beyond the casinos.

Local law enforcement started hiring you for particularly sticky cases, madams at brothels had you run down Johns who misbehaved. You’d built up a steady business, making a reasonably easy living.

It was also one you didn’t enjoy as much.

There was something… unsatisfying about running down people with gambling debts. With guild work, there was generally something the person had done that was truly wrong. A reason that someone like Din would be on them. This felt a lot like just hunting down people with issues they couldn’t find a way out of on their own.

So you tried to be judicious in the jobs you did take. And you did what you could to draw in the right clientele while being able to maintain control. You’d learned that you needed to strike the right balance between monied and professional while being somewhat intimidating. Look too much like a bounty hunter yourself and you’d only do deals with people who work with bounty hunters. Too soft and they’d walk all over you.

The man in front of you now was the first one to challenge you in months. It had been a job you’d been unsure on taking to begin with. The quarry owed money to both a private lender and a mob, however, and you figured he’d be better off with the private lender. Leave him too long and the mob would get his hands on him eventually.

The man was sitting beside you, cuffed, waiting to be handed over to the bounty holder.

Who just decided to be aggressive in negotiations.

“Our understanding is that he was an easy capture,” the man shrugged. “We’ll pay you five.”

“Seven was what we agreed upon,” you said. “But, because I’m nice, I’ll let you leave with your limbs intact for eight for the extra trouble.”

“You think you can intimidate me?” The man sneered at you. “It would take a lot more than some bounty hunter’s assistant…”

“Partner,” you corrected, shifting yourself just so in your chair so your blaster would be easier to grab.

“Some bounty hunter’s little girl,” he said the last word like an insult. “To make me pay more than something is worth.”

“Something is worth what the market demands,” you replied. “Right now, I’m the only one selling the man who owes you money. The price is now 9,000. Pay it or leave.”

“Do you really expect me to believe you’ll just leave money on the table for a bounty you’ve already captured?” He scoffed. “I’m the only one looking to buy…”

“Rather let him go for nothing than cut a deal with you,” you shrugged. “Hell, I’ll even give him tips on how to hide, you clearly can’t catch him yourself, it wouldn’t take much…”

“Look little girl,” he stood up, slapping one hand on the table and grabbing your chin. “I’ll take him for four and you’ll be happy that’s all I do.”

“Poor choice.”

You slipped your knife from up your sleeve and flipped it around before stabbing it down into the middle of the man’s hand and into the table. He screamed and released your face, collapsing onto the desk. You grabbed your blaster, flipped it to stun and shot the first guard before training the weapon on the other.

“Now,” you addressed the man sobbing on the table. “I’ll take 10 for the quarry, be happy it’s not 20. You have that much on you, right?”

He just choked on his own spit. You sighed.

“This is the problem with men like you,” you cocked your head, looking down at him. “So used to having others do your dirty work that you don’t know what it means to put in some effort, to suffer a little.”

You looked to the remaining guard, still at the end of your blaster.

“Better hope your boss has 10,000 credits in this suit of his.” The man froze, watching you. “Well? Start looking.”

The guard scrambled to obey. Clearly not trained, just there to look large and intimidating. Was there anywhere the man didn’t cut corners?

The would-be guard slapped the credits he found on the desk.

“Just 9,000?” You said, glancing at them.

“It’s all I have on me,” the man panted. “But…”

“Lucky for you,” you cut him off. “Nine is the going rate for your life. It’s usually 10 but your stock has fallen a bit in the last few minutes.”

You looked to the guard.

“I’ve stabbed your boss through the hand,” you said. “Lots to damage in there. A lot of ways to bleed out. I’m going to pull this knife out in oh, about a minute. If you want to get paid, I recommend running - quickly - to the bar and getting the med kit that’s back there. He’ll need some bacta.”

The guard took off and you looked back at the man.

“Now, what did you call me?” You asked him. “The bounty hunter’s girl?”

“I’m sorry…” he whimpered. “I didn’t mean anything by it….”

“No no, you did,” you said. “But did we learn our lesson today?” You put pressure down on the knife.

“Yes,” he hissed in pain.

“Going to put your hands on a woman again?” You asked, twisting the knife ever so slightly, making him wail.

“No!”

You glanced up and saw the guard running back, med kit in hand. You took steady hold of the knife and yanked it forward, between his middle and ring fingers. The man screamed.

“Better hurry,” you said, wiping the knife on the man’s sleeve. “I don’t like blood on my things and I might just charge you for the cleaning fee…”

The guard yanked the kit open and quickly wrapped the man’s hand in a bacta strip. You glanced over, making sure the bleeding had been stemmed before you made sure the blaster was still on stun, shooting them both.

“Please,” the quarry next to you whimpered. “Please, don’t hurt me…”

“Were you planning to try to steal from me?” You asked, brows raised. He shook his head. “Then I won’t hurt you.”

You collected 7,000 of the credits on the table before you took the binders off the quarry.

“There are 2,000 credits there,” you said as he massaged his wrists. “I recommend using them to get the hell off this planet. I didn’t kill him, just stunned him, so I’m sure he’ll send someone else after you before too long. Not to mention the money you owe the mob.”

He blinked at you.

“You’re just… letting me go?” He asked.

“I got what I was owed for you,” you shrugged. “I delivered you. Your bounty holder was a fool, the rest is not my problem.”

He looked at the credits for a moment, like he was waiting for there to be a catch. But then he scrambled, scooping them into his pockets.

“Thank you,” he said quickly.

“Don’t let me find you here again,” you said, returning to your seat at the table. “Let the bartender know I’m ready for the next one on your way out, please.”

He scrambled to obey, almost tripping over the bodies of the men on the ground. You didn’t have long left for your meetings window, you’d be long gone before they awoke. You’d just have to pay the bar extra for the trouble but it would be worth it.

“Ran into some trouble I see,” a woman looked over the mess on the floor.

“Just someone who didn’t want to pay what they owed and decided to make that my problem,” you replied. You looked the new arrival up and down. It looked like she worked in the government system here, wearing the usual dark blue uniform. “What can I do for you?”

“I have…” she sighed. “It’s an unusual request.”

You smiled a little broader.

“Sounds interesting,” you said. “Tell me more.”

Before you returned to the Crest, you always removed the makeup and changed into something more discreet, something that would be good for climbing and running. You tried to leave as little evidence as possible to your ties to the Mandalorian.

Gideon, you were sure, had put out information searching for the two of you together. If you were never seen with him, it would make it far harder for anyone searching for you to put their finger on you.

Once you were changed, you went to Kiana, the bartender, and slipped her an extra 500 credits.

“Small mess in there today,” you said as she took you to the storage room. “Everyone should be fine and coming to on their own any minute but I don’t think they’ll be all that happy about it.”

“I’m sure it’s fine,” she smiled. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“I’m sure it’s not,” you smiled back.

“Same time next week?” She asked.

“Actually no,” you replied. “Make it two. Got an interesting one this afternoon, I think it’ll take some time. Assuming my partner goes for it. But I think he will.”

“Will I ever meet the mystery man?” She teased.

“If you do you’re probably in more trouble than you really want to be,” you said, starting up the ladder to the roof hatch. “But if you’re going to get taken in by anybody, he’s who I’d pick.”

She barked a laugh and went back to the bar as you climbed to the roof of the building.

You pulled up your hood and jumped to the next building, working your way a few streets over before clambering down to street level. You tried to avoid taking the same route every time and it seemed to be working. No one had followed you yet - either because they weren’t interested or they hadn’t figured out how.

The end of the trip was always the worst of it, a speeder bike to where the Crest had been parked outside the city. It was, at least, a reasonable trip. No packed streets or dense trees to navigate through, just fields or down a cliff to the beach.

“You’re getting better at that,” Din said as you parked the speeder bike and went into the Crest. Grogu was tucked against his side, happily cooing at the sight of you. You made eye contact and felt his excitement.

“I missed you too!” You lowered your hood and came to take the child from the Mandalorian. You kissed his little wrinkled forehead before looking up at Din. “So I have an interesting job…”

Before you got a chance to tell him about it, he took your chin is his hand - so gently he was barely touching you - and tilted your face in the light. You frowned.

“Someone touched you,” he said. His thumb brushed against a tender spot on your chin.

“It was nothing,” you could feel him scowling at you. You weren’t sure what the expression would look like but you could feel it.

“Doll.”

“It was!” You said.

“Only a matter of time,” he muttered, going back in the ship.

You sighed, following behind him.

“Are we really going to have this conversation every time something doesn’t go exactly as planned?” You asked.

“It’s my job to protect you,” he said. “So yes.”

“No, it isn’t,” you said. He turned to face you. “Din. We are partners. That’s the only way this is going to work. I’m not your job, I’m your…”

You paused. What were you?

It wasn’t something you had explicitly discussed. You weren’t married but you felt more like Din’s wife than you ever had Kann’s.

More importantly, you wanted to be.

“Regardless,” you said, not ready to say what you wanted. “Either I’m your equal or I’m not.”

“Of course you’re my equal,” he replied.

“Then respect that I can handle getting hurt sometimes.”

He looked you up and down for a moment before he sighed.

“I don’t like you being out of reach,” he said. “That you could be in trouble and I couldn’t get to you in time to help. I don’t like this arrangement.”

“Well I’m getting a little burnt out on it myself,” you replied. “And I got us a job that looks to be a bit more like what we’re used to doing.”

Din paused. You smiled.

He sighed.

“What’s the job.”

***

Din had to admit, you had good taste when it came to finding work. Like it had for you, the jobs on Canto Bight had grown stale. He’d never been the crusading type but running down beings with gambling debts could only be interesting for so long.

He was itching to get back out into open space. He’d been in one place for too long without being able to call it home, having to move the Crest every few days to avoid suspicion but never able to take it off the planet. Not able to freely move through the city, only venturing in to complete a job and always doing it alone.

That was the oddest part to him, the way he didn’t like doing the work alone anymore. He’d grown accustomed to first having the child with him and then you. And he realized he didn’t really like being on his own. He just didn’t like most people. He did like you and Grogu so much that he didn’t like being without you, even if it was just to go hunting.

Hunting with you made him nervous, yes, but he liked it. Liked being next to you. Liked seeing how you thought through things. Liked watching you fight - though much more in hindsight when he knew you were OK. Liked seeing the look on your face when you captured a quarry.

“It’s so nice to be off world again!” You were perched on top of a crate in the hold, your legs dangling over the side. You were practically giddy.

He smiled in spite of himself.

“It’s just the Crest, Doll,” he said. “You could have done this at anytime.”

“It’s different in space and you know it,” you replied.

“Come down so we can discuss strategy,” he said.

“What, don’t like talking up to me?” You quirked a brow at him.

“Would rather speak to my equal as an equal,” he replied. “But if you’d prefer otherwise, I’m sure something can be arranged.”

You bit your lip and he tried to not think about taking you to his quarters and binding you to his bed.

Instead, you slipped down to the floor of the hold. The kid, still on top of the crate, sounded frustrated. You turned back to him.

“You can get down,” you said, holding your arms out for him. “Come on. I know you can and you know you can and your dad knows you can.”

Grogu looked at him, his ears drooping.

“Come on,” Din said, crossing his arms over him. “You can do it.”

The kid scrunched his little face before he jumped - or tried to jump, anyway. You caught him easily.

“See!” You kissed his cheek. “You did it! You’re getting so good, bud!”

Din smiled. As much as he liked watching you hunt bounties, he liked watching you with his foundling more.

“So,” you put the kid on your hip, bringing your braid over your shoulder for him to play with. “I think we both know that going after a syndicate is… risky.”

“Yes.”

“But you took the lead on the last one,” you said cautiously. “And I think I should get to try on this one.”

Din sighed, considering.

The bounty you’d picked up intrigued him but it was too close to the trouble you’d gotten into on Tatooine.

There was a new kind of spice that had hit the black market on Canto Bight, one that was more potent - and more fatal. Law enforcement had turned a blind eye for too long and the woman who had approached you was operating on the fringes of what anyone in power would allow. But children who were used to run the drug were getting sick, sometimes dying. It was a bridge too far.

They had traced the drug to a Kessel based syndicate but Canto Bight security forces didn’t have jurisdiction off-world. Bounty hunters did.

It was something that was worth the risk to try to fix. But risking you…

“No,” he said. Your eyebrows knitted together, ready to fight him. He cut you off. “But I have a different… approach. If you’re open to it.”

You narrowed your eyes.

“OK,” you said.

“No lead,” he said. “We’re partners. We do this as partners.”

You smiled. Maybe the biggest he’d seen you smile.

“Partners,” you said. “I like that.”

#fanfic #mandalorian fanfic #din djarin #the mandalorian #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian x f!reader #the mandalorian x female reader

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